Remarks Prepared for Delivery at the United Nations Correspondents Association Dinner

Let me also say a special thank you to our host, UNCA President Jim Wurst. I must say, tonight's event makes it is strikingly clear that Mr. Wurst and the UNCA President emeritus, Ian Williams, are two very different characters. Rarely has a man of few words been paired with one of so many.

I'm very pleased to join my friends in the press corps tonight and cap a year that has put all of us to new tests. It's always a relief when holiday season replaces open season.

A year ago I asked you how many people it took to change a United Nations lightbulb that didn't really want to change.

This year, the regular noon press briefing opened up a whole new line of study in this field. How many journalists does it take to change the subject, if the journalists in question don't really want to change the subject? The answer seems to be that it takes only one correspondent to hold the poor subject to the wall (or in this case, hold the spokesman to the wall) -- and a dozen others to keep asking which ten floors of the Secretariat the wall is holding up.

But let me change the subject. This year I have the exceptional honour of being asked by UNCA to present an award to Sir Brian Urquhart. If there's one subject we can all agree deserves our attention, it is surely the model of international public service which Brian Urquhart represents. Modest as ever, Brian has given me permission to describe him only as our profession's oldest living inhabitant. He deserves better plaudits than that. So there will be more later.

But first, let me use the opportunity of Brian's presence to walk down memory lane a bit.

Recently, I found myself in the UN Correspondents Club, one floor up, gazing at the portraits of all Presidents of the Association since its founding in 1949. My, they were a well-dressed and clean-cut bunch in those days. Do you realize that until 1987, not one of them even sported facial hair? Today, conversely, the only thing Messrs Wurst and Williams seem to have in common is their beard.

The room we are sitting in is known as the Delegates Lounge, but it has probably seen even more correspondents than delegates come and go over the years -- I daresay in various states of refreshment. The only thing topping the number of drinks poured here must be the number of leaked UN documents.

The room has seen its fair share of drama in other ways. Remember the scene in the 1959 movie North by Northwest? The character from the fictitious United Nations organ UNIPO is stabbed in the back in this room, right in front of Cary Grant. Clearly Hitchcock knew already then that here at the UN, there is always reason to watch one's back.

And to keep one's eye on the ball. I recall the time ping pong was played in this room to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the table tennis diplomacy between China and United States. The ping pong matches took place in front of that big tapestry depicting the Great Wall of China. Sadly, as you know, I am no longer leaving for China tomorrow as planned. I have to stay here and to try to ensure we have enough of a budget to change the lightbulbs next year.

So let me conclude by presenting, on behalf of UNCA, the Citizen of the World Award to Sir Brian Urquhart -- renaissance man, inspiration to countless, and dean of us all. Brian, it is appropriate that the award you receive tonight was named for Sergio Vieira de Mello, who was proud to walk in your footsteps.

In this 60th anniversary year of the United Nations, no one could be as deserving of this award as you, Brian. No one has done more to uphold the principles of the Charter and the ideals of the Organization. No makes us feel more connected to the very reason the Organization was founded.

Brian, we feel blessed to have benefited over the years from your wisdom, your warmth and your wit. Please come up here and share some of that with us now.

Thank you very much.